Discharger for projectiles



1937. R. c. COUPLAND DISCHARGER FOR PRQJECTILES VIIIIJIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII I Richard E- Enupland as M/f/f w Attnr'ne Patented Nov. 9, 1937 UNETED STATES- PA'EEN'E" @FFHQE DISCHARGER FOR PROJECTILES Richard O. Coupland, United States Army, Norfolk, Va.

Application August 14, 1935, Serial No. 36,137

7 Claims.

The invention described herein may be manufactured and used by or for the Government for governmental purposes, without the payment to me of any royalty thereon.

5 This invention relates to a discharger for projectiles such as grenades and pyrotechnic signals and is an improvement on the weapon shown in my Patent 1,986,794 of January 8, 1935.

In the patent a discharger is rigidly mounted it on the butt of a rifle and supported on the ground when it is to be operated. In this arrangement the shock of discharge is partly taken by the rifle and causes damage thereto, especially when the discharger is fired from soft ground.

5 The purpose of this invention is to provide a discharger of the foregoing type in which the barrel is positioned directly in rear of the butt of the rifle and is mounted for recoil so that shock incident to firing will not damage the A further object is to provide a light and inexpensive discharger in Which the recoiling memher is compactly associated with a receiver.

To these and other ends, the invention consists 25 in the construction, arrangement and combination of elements described hereinafter and pointed out in the claims forming a part of this specification.

A practical embodiment of the invention is 30 illustrated in the accompanying drawing, where- Fig. l is a View showing the discharger applied to the butt of a rifle.

Fig. 2 is a plan view.

35 Figs. 3 and 4 are sectional views on the corresponding lines of Fig. 5.

Figs. 5 and 6 are sectional views on the corresponding lines of Fig. 2.

Fig. 7 is a view in elevation showing the parts 40 separated.

The discharger comprises a receiver A and a recoiling member B. The receiver is formed with a body 5 and a cap plate 6 having complemental elements of a socket l conforming in shape to 45 the butt end of the shoulder stock 8 of a rifle or appropriate substitute. The cap plate 5 is mounted on a pair of hollow stud bolts 99 fixed in opposite sides of the body 5 and is adjustably clamped to the stock 8 by means of nuts Illl 50 on the bolts 9.

The outer face of the body between the bolts 9 is formed with a pair of spaced rails lI-Il (Fig. 3) between which is a groove l2 for receiving the tongue [3 of the barrel holder IA of the re- 55 coiling member. The cap plate 6 of the receiver fits over the tongue 13 as seen in Figs. 2 and 5. The holder H! is formed with a foot i5 which extends underneath the body 5 of the receiver and constitutes a ground-engaging member. The holder has a cylindrical opening in which a short 5 barrel it is threadedly secured in a position directly in rear of the butt of the rifle and the receiver thereon.

The recoil mechanism includes a pair of rods Hl'i each of which is inserted through one of the hollow stud bolts 9 and through an opening it in the body 5 and has its lower end threadedly secured in the foot iii of the barrel holder M. The upper end of each rod is formed with a head it for confining a spring 2% which embraces the 15 rod and is seated on a shoulder 2! in the body 5. The spring acting through the rods fixed in the foot 15 absorb the shock of recoil and return the recoiling member into a position with the foot against the receiver.

The firing mechanism is similar to that of the patent and consists of a lever 22 having an inner arm '23 disposed in a slot 24 in the foot 55 and in a slot 25 in the under side of a hammer 25. The hammer is slidably mounted in a chamber 2? in the holder Hi below the base 28 of the barrel Hi. The projectile 29 is of the muzzle loading type having a self-contained propellent charge.

As shown in Fig. 1 when the discharger is to be employed it is clamped onto the rifle which is 30 held so that the foot l5 rests on the ground or on a suitable support. The operator grasping the barrel of the gun inclines and turns the gun so that the barrel will be pointed at a desired elevation and direction. The piece is fired by pulling a lanyard 30 on the lever 22.

When detached from the rifle the discharger may be carried in a holster similar to the hoster provided for pistols and revolvers.

Troops not equipped with the rifle will use an appropriate substitute.

I claim:

1. In a discharger, a receiver comprising a body having spaced rails, hollow stud bolts in the top of the body, a cap plate on the bolts, nuts on the bolts, said body and cap plate having in one side complemental; elements of a socket, a groove in the opposite side of the body between the rails, a barrel holder between the rails of the body and having a tongue slidable in the groove 01 the body, a foot on the holder extending under the body, a barrel carried by the holder, rods fixed in the foot and extending through the body and hollow stud bolts, a spring on each rod confined between the body and the side of the body, a barrel holder having a tongue slidable in the groove of the body, a foot on the holder extending under the body, a barrel carried by the holder, rods fixed inthefoot and extending through the body and hollow stud bolts, a spring on each rod confined between the body andthe front end of the rod, and a firing mechanism in the holder.'

3. In a discharger, a receiver comprising a body, hollow stud bolts in the top of the body, f

a cap plate on the bolts, nuts on the bolts, said body and cap having complemental elements of a socket, a barrel holder slidably mounted on the body, a foot on the holder extending under the body, a barrel carried by the holder, rods fixed in the foot and extending through the body and hollow stud bolts,'a spring on each rod confined between the body and the front end of the rod, and a firing mechanism in the holder.

4. In a discharger, a receiver comprising a body, stud boltsin the top of the body, a cap plate on the bolts, nuts on the bolts, said body and cap having oomplemental elements of a socket, a barrel holder slidably mounted on the body, .a foot on the holder extending under the body, a barrel carried by the holder, rods fixed in the foot and extending through the body, a spring on each rod confined between the body and the front end of the rod, and a firing mechanism in the holder.

5. In a discharger, a receiver having a socket in one side, a barrel holder slidably mounted on the opposite side'of the receiver, a foot on the holder extending under the receiver, a barrel carried by the holder, rods fixed in the foot and extending through the receiver, and a spring on each rod confined between the receiver and the frontend of therod.

'6. In a discharger, a receiver having a socket in one side, a barrel holder slidably mounted on the opposite side of the receiver in a direction generally perpendicular to the axis of the socket, a foot on the holder extending under'the receiver, a barrel carried by the holder, and a recoil and counterrecoil mechanism between the foot of the barrel holder and the receiver.

7. In a discharger, a receiver, a barrel member slidably mounted on one side of the receiver, a laterally extending foot on the barrel member disposed under the receiver and adapted to rest on the ground when the discharger is to be fired, a recoil andcounterrecoil mechanism between the foot of the barrel member and the receiver, and a holding and guiding member attached to the side of the receiver opposite to the side on which the barrel member is slidably mounted.

- RICHARD C. COUPLAND. 

